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Sberbank to Finance SU-35 Fighter Production
By Erik,
Sberbank to Finance SU-35 Fighter Production
Air Force News — By Sukhoi on September 21, 2010 at 4:56 am
MOSCOW: The Komsomolsk-na-Amure-based Yuri Gagarin Aviation Industrial Concern (KnAAPO), incorporated by the Sukhoi Holding Company, and Sberbank (the Savings Bank of Russia) concluded today a general agreement to build the Su-35S multi-role fighter. The document was signed by Alexander Pekarsh, KnAAPO director general, and Olga Bukhankova, head of the Savings Bank central division in Komsomolsk-na-Amure. The signing of this agreement will provide long-term funding for one of Russia’s largest aviation enterprises and ensure the series production of aircraft on time.
The state’s contract under which Sukhoi must supply, by the year 2015, the Defense Ministry with 48 super-maneuverable Su-35S fighters was signed in August last year, at the MAKS-2009 aerospace show.
The series production of the aircraft, the first of which [will be] handed over to the Defense Ministry late this year, was organized at Sukhoi’s facility in Komsomolsk.
The fighter is also intended for the foreign market. Talks are underway for the supply of aircraft to customers in Southeast Asia, Middle East, and South America for re-equipment of their air forces.
The Su-35 is a thoroughly modernized super-maneuverable multi-role fighter of the 4++ generation. It employs the fifth-generation technologies giving it an edge over the same class fighters.
The special feature of the aircraft is a new avionics suite based on a digital information control system, integrating onboard instrumentation, a new radar with a phased antenna array capable of detecting a larger number of air targets with their simultaneous tracking and engagement (tracking of 30 and engagement of 8 air targets along with tracking of 4 and engagement of 2 ground targets), and new increased and vectored thrust engines.
The Su-35 features a wide array of long-, middle- and short-range weapons. It carries guided munitions for resisting radar systems and fighting ships, general purpose weapons, guided aerial bombs and unguided missiles. The radar signature of the fighter, as compared to that of the fourth-generation, has been reduced by several times thanks to the current-conducting coating of the cockpit, application of radio absorptive surface materials and reduced number of protruding sensors.
The aircraft’s service life is 6,000 flight hours, the life cycle is 30 years, and the designed operating life of the adjustable nozzle engines is 4,000 hours.
Defence Talk
F-15 engine tested on tri-fuel blend
By Erik,
F-15 engine tested on tri-fuel blend
Air Force News — By Air Force News Agency on September 21, 2010 at 8:26 am
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn.: Continuing the march toward certifying the entire Air Force fleet on alternative fuels, an F-15 Eagle engine is undergoing performance testing here using a unique blend of three different fuel types.
The F100 engine is being tested with a combination of JP-8 conventional aviation fuel; a biofuel derived from tallow, which is an animal fat; and a synthetic fuel derived from coal through a process commonly known as Fisher-Tropsch.
The fuels testing is being conducted to ensure the different fuels, in varying combinations, are suitable for an upcoming series of F-15 flight tests tentatively scheduled for October at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., said Brian Knack, the Aerospace Testing Alliance's program engineer for the test. ATA is the operating contractor at the Arnold Engineering Development Center.
"This (first phase of the test) evaluated a 50 percent (by volume) tallow-derived fuel, while the final phase is bringing Fischer-Tropsch-derived fuel together with the bio-fuel forming yet another new and unique blend," he said.
Testing has simulated the overall engine conditions experienced at near sea-level conditions.
A baseline test using JP-8 was performed in the first phase of the test program. Then, a blend of 50 percent tallow-derived fuel and 50 percent JP-8 was evaluated. Finally, a blend of 25 percent tallow-derived fuel and 25 percent synthetic fuel and 50 percent JP-8 was evaluated.
"They've engineered these alternative fuel blends, both the tallow and FT, to meet the existing JP-8 (specifications) requirements," Mr. Knack said. "So, we're just verifying that, although it's within the same specification chemically, that it doesn't adversely affect engine performance."
Second Lt. Drew Miller, the AEDC's project manager for the test, pointed out that this entry is not a certification test series per se, nor is it intended to include an analysis of "wear and tear" on the engine.
"We're just demonstrating that the engine can successfully perform on the biofuels that we're testing," he said.
Engineers from the Air Force Alternative Fuels Certification Office at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, noted that the hydro-treated renewable jet biofuels -- currently only available in research and development quantities -- are expensive. The expectation is that once they are certified for use by the Air Force and by airlines participating in the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, industry producers will respond to the market demand and prices will fall in line with conventional jet fuel.
Lieutenant Miller said it's important to view this test from a wider perspective.
"The Secretary of the Air Force has an initiative to reduce our dependence on oil (by) 50 percent by 2016, and this is just leading the way to make that happen," he said. "The Air Force is the largest oil consumer in the Department of Defense, and this is a major step towards increasing our independence."
Mr. Knack said he is already looking toward the future of bio-fuels.
"This is the next step of biofuel evolution, and a couple years from now we could be running algae-based fuels or whatever is deemed to be the most efficient, economically produced on a mass production level," he said. "Then we will probably see it here."
Defence Talk
Facebook Contest
By Erik,
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If you haven't already done so, add us.
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Winners announced Saturday mornings.
Russia's Mission Control set to readjust ISS orbit
By Erik,
Russia's Mission Control set to readjust ISS orbit
The thrusters will be turned on for 526 seconds and move the ISS to a new orbit at a distance of 356 km (221 miles) from Earth.
RIA Novosti
The orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) will be raised on Wednesday by about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles), Russia's Mission Control official said.
"The aim of this operation is to ensure optimal conditions for the return of [three] astronauts [to Earth] on board the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft on September 24, and for the docking with a new manned Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft, which is scheduled for launch on October 8," the official said.
The readjustment will be carried out with the help of eight thrusters of the Progress M-07M space freighter, which is currently docked with the station's Zvezda module.
The thrusters will be turned on for 526 seconds and move the ISS to a new orbit at a distance of 356 km (221 miles) from Earth, the source said.
Corrections to the space station's orbit are conducted periodically before launches of Russian spacecraft and U.S. shuttles to compensate for Earth's gravity and to safeguard successful dockings.
MOSCOW, September 15
RIA Novosti
Indonesia confirms plans to buy six more Su fighters from Russia
By Erik,
Indonesia confirms plans to buy six more Su fighters from Russia
RIA Novosti -- by Maya Mashatina -- 07:57 17/09/2010
Indonesia's Air Force chief of staff Marshal Imam Sufaat said on Friday his country planned to buy six more Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia, the Jakarta Post reported. He said the purchase would be on the Defense Ministry's long-term agenda, but was not sure when the plan would be implemented.
"The existing squadron of Sukhois remains insufficient to give a deterrent effect given our vast territory," Imam told the Antara news agency.
He said the proposal was already approved by the country's president, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Indonesia bought three Russian fighter jets in 2003. The $300 million contract signed in August 2007 stipulated the delivery of six Su-30MK fighter planes. Three aircraft were delivered in February 2009, another two were handed over to Indonesia on September 10, and one was taken to Indonesia on Thursday.
JAKARTA, September 17
Image: The $300 million contract signed in August 2007 stipulated the delivery of six Su-30MK fighter planes.
Ria Novosti
Fruit picker jailed for shining laser pen into RAF fighter pilot's eyes
By Erik,
Fruit picker jailed for shining laser pen into RAF fighter pilot's eyes
RAF Leuchars Tornado jet was flying over Fife when the migrant worker directed the laser at the cockpit.
STV - 16 September 2010 12:52 GMT
A Romanian fruit picker who admitted endangering an RAF fighter jet by shining a laser into the pilot's eyes was jailed for four months.
The RAF Leuchars Tornado jet was flying low over Fife when the migrant worker shined a green laser beam into the cockpit.
On one occasion, when the cockpit had a green glow inside, the pilot was almost at stall speed and required high concentration for his task.
Romanian Radu Moldovan, 28,was jailed for four months at Cupar sheriff court.
Moldovan, a works supervisor at Cairnie Fruit Farm, near Cupar, Fife, had admitted that he culpably and recklessly endangered the safety of an aircraft by directing a laser device into the cockpit of a military aircraft.
In sentencing the migrant worker, Sheriff Charles Macnair told him that the UK courts "cannot tolerate such abuses".
The sheriff said: "The use of laser pens is soaring. Happily, to date, there has never been a crash caused by a laser pen but that seems to be as a result of luck rather than anything else.
"Distracting the attention of any pilot, in particular a pilot flying a fast jet, is an accident waiting to happen.
"The consequences of a Tornado crashing at or near Leuchars air base raises the most horrific prospect of death and injury to the pilot, the navigator, and anyone else who happens to be under the aircraft when it comes down.
"In my view, it must be made abundantly clear to anyone who uses or is tempted to use or misuse a laser pen of this sort, the courts of the United Kingdom will not tolerate such abuses."
He added: "I take into account your personal circumstances and that you have been of good behaviour and that you are generally living a useful life.
"But in your case I consider that there is no alternative to a custodial sentence."
Depute fiscal Laura Wright earlier told the court the Tornado had been heading towards Leuchars at around 9.40pm on Monday, August 16.
The pilot and navigator had been directed to a precision radar approach with the intention of overshooting the runway.
But as they prepared for the action, the pilot told his navigator that a laser light had been shone at the jet, and the light had penetrated the canopy.
It appeared the light had originated from the ground, and the crew contacted air traffic control to alert them to the situation.
At that point, the depute fiscal said, the plane had been five miles from the runway at a height of 1,200-feet and had overshot as planned.
The pilot had then been directed to conduct another approach and as he flew towards Cupar, he was again distracted by the laser beam entering his field of vision.
On this occasion, there was a flickering effect as though an attempt was being made to adjust the laser towards the Tornado.
The navigator had on this occasion been able to identify the source, and had marked its coordinates using the Tornado's on-board navigation system.
As the plane was positioning, it was again hit by the green beam of light but the pilot continued and landed the aircraft successfully.
The depute fiscal said that the coordinates had been passed to Fife Constabulary to investigate.
Officers visited Cairnie Fruit Farm and Moldovan admitted that he had tried to hit the underside of the plane when it passed.
His solicitor Hilary Eldridge said that her client had bought the laser on eBay for £4 and had not intended to cause any danger.
She said: "Mr Moldovan is a law-abiding, hardworking citizen with no previous convictions who came to this country to better and improve the life of himself and his family.
"He had been attending a BBQ at the fields outside and he tried to see whether the pen was powerful enough to reach the plane. He did this on two occasions, with no comprehension of the potential dangers it posed to the crew on board."
Image Credit: Jail term: Radu Moldovan sentenced for laser pen crime Pic: © Alan Richardson
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